‘Had to fix seepage’: Accused to cops on repair work at Delhi hostel that gave way

According to police, the property was registered in Urmila Gupta’s name, while electricity connections were in the names of Hariram and Mahesh.

Rescue operations continued for the second day in South West Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Monday. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

Police said the three arrested members of the Gupta family have no previous criminal record.

Police sources said Hariram and Mahesh told investigators that repair work was being carried out after students complained about seepage caused by waterlogging. “Last year, during the monsoon, the students complained of seepage caused by waterlogging in the basement. The problem occurred again this year. The Gupta family then decided to carry out repairs,” an officer said, citing their statements.

According to the source, the accused told police that they had instructed labourers to fill part of the basement with construction material. Work on one side had been completed by Saturday. However, when labourers began filling the other side, the structure collapsed.

Rescue operations started soon after the building collapsed on Sunday afternoon. (Express photo by Afshana Ali)

Probe deepens

The PG had eight rooms with a total of 16 beds, spread across four floors.

Police suspect that only seven to eight students were inside the building when it collapsed as several had left for a three-day vacation for the Rakhi festival.

Earlier, officials had feared that 30-40 students could be trapped under the rubble. An officer said a student who escaped, along with workers at the PG, is in contact with police and will provide details of the sequence of events. Their statements will be corroborated with those of the accused.

Police are also investigating how the Gupta family leased the property to “Hostel Daze” last year, which runs several similar facilities in the area. The operator has seven facilities in the vicinity, including hostels for both girls and boys.

During the investigation, police found that Hariram had shifted to Gurgaon with his family in 2001. His brother, Hari Charan, also owns property in Satya Niketan but has since moved to the Millenium City. Police identified the building’s owner through an electricity bill obtained from the Delhi Power department and subsequently found that the property had been purchased in Urmila’s name.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and others at the site of the collapse in Satya Niketan on Sunday. (ANI)

The property was bought in 1982, police said. However, investigators said the building was being managed and operated by Hariram and Mahesh.

“Even the electricity bill, in the name of Hariram Gupta, is for only two floors. But the building was extended by another three floors,” a police officer said.

The investigation into the circumstances leading to the collapse and the responsibilities of those associated with the building and its operations is continuing.Police are also looking for the operators of the PG and the labour contractor involved in the construction work. Their roles are being examined, and further action will depend on the findings of the investigation.

Police are also for the contractor who was managing construction related to a proposed gym at the site. Investigators are examining the construction, the building’s use as a PG and the role of its owners, operators, contractors and other persons associated with the property.

Rescue operations underway at the site of the incident in Satya Niketan, Sunday. (Express pphoto by Abhinav Saha)

Rent agreement under lens

Students who rented rooms at the “Hostel Daze” PG were required to sign an agreement stating: “The PG authorities are not responsible for any casualties or risk to me.”

The rental agreement, accessed by The Indian Express, appears to absolve the owners of responsibility for risks to students’ lives. It also gives the management the power to ask students to vacate their rooms at its discretion, without citing a legitimate reason.

The agreement requires students to pay a security deposit equivalent to three months of rent. The deposit is stated to be non-refundable, including in circumstances where an emergency forces a student to leave before the agreement expires. The terms of the agreement are now being examined by police to determine whether they violate legal norms.